Protect Those Knees!
Wow…I just returned from Durango, Colorado where I was fortunate enough to work
with Four Corners Volleyball Club. What a great bunch of athletes and coaches!
What stuck out like a sore thumb was what will be, ’sore knees’. What I noticed (and with a high percentage of the young female athletes I work with) is the way in which the knees go when they are landing, moving laterally and performing squats. The knees buckle to the inside as well as move out laterally causing tremendous strain and damage to the knee joint. There are many reasons for this, but I would like to help you prevent this and strengthen the ligaments and muscles around your athlete’s knee joints.
Please watch this video below (Time is limited right now to create a video myself, but I found someone who can help you). Then come back and read my suggestions below on how to implement into your practices and add a little more intensity to the exercise to increase vertical and improve core strength.
Ok..now that know how to perfrom the squat correctly here is my two cents:
1) After a proper warm-up, have your entire team perform the squats. Also remind them to perform them on their own at home. They should be doing this exercise a few days a week to help them strengthen up those muscles. For practice have them do 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions. Slow and controlled movements..NOT fast. Remember this phrase: ‘time under tension’.
2) Suggest they perform the squat in an unstable environment. They can roll up a yoga mat or a few towels and perform the same exercise on the towel or mat. This will recruit more muscles, challenge their balance in turn strengthening their core.
3) After approximately 6 days of performing the squat, try the same exercise on ONE leg. Same form, same movement, just one leg. Move to this exercise ONLY if they have ’safely’ mastered the regular squat.
There you go.
Good Luck!
Barry
PS - Look what this young lady sent me out of the blue. THIS is just one great aspect of my ‘job’ 
Hey Barry,
This is Evan ______ from southwest Kansas. I am 14 and I saw your videos on youtube and tried some of them and they really worked. I have this dream that many others think is impossible. I would really like to play college volleyball. The reason people think it is impossible is because 1. I live in Kansas 2. I’m not the tallest of people 3. I can’t really jump that high. As I have been trying your exercises for core power and jumping, I have noticed a big improvement in my body and my jump. I would just like to thank you for making my dream a little bit more within my reach. Also, if there is any advice you could give me to help accomplish my goal that would be greatly appreciated. Again, thank you so much for helping me.
Evan
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